Parliamentary Procedure
How can I survive a formal meeting?
NOTE: Objectives are rearranged from LADOE for ease of teaching
Objective 1:
Define parliamentary procedure.
Anticipated Problem: How can parliamentary procedure
relate to all business meetings not just FFA? Make a list of
many ways that you exercise leadership in your family,
school, and community. Explain what works and what does
work during a meeting.
Have you ever experienced…
 Meetings that seem endless because the
business could have been completed hours
ago?
 Confusion as to what exactly is being
discussed and voted on?
 Irritation because one person or a small
group of people dominate a meeting?
 The feeling that you never get your voice
heard in group discussion?
 Anger about decisions made that do not
reflect the feelings of the majority of the
group?
End the Frustration!!!
Here’s How…
What is Parliamentary Procedure?
Why use Parliamentary Procedure?
The Importance of an Agenda
The Role of the Members
Basic Parliamentary Procedure Skills
What is Parliamentary Procedure?
Set of rules and guidelines that allow the
following:
Majority rules
Minority is heard
Handling one item at a time
Maintains order
A predetermined set of “rules” that will be
used to “govern” the way business will be
conducted
A system of procedure that allows an
organization to effectively conduct its official
business in a fair and democratic manner
History of Parliamentary Procedure
1562 – Started in England by Sir Thomas Smyth
1876 – Henry M. Robert finished
1900 – became known as “Robert’s Rules of Order”
1915 – First revision
2010 – Latest revision
Why use Parliamentary Procedure?
 Focus on one item at a time
- no more than one issue will be discussed
 Extend courtesy to everyone
- all members have an opportunity to participate
 Observe the rule of the majority
- no group decision is granted without majority
 Ensure the rights of the minority
- all members have equal access to decision-making
Terminology
The Floor
point where attention of meeting should
be focused.
Quorum or Majority
Minimum number of members that must
be present at a meeting for legal business
to be transacted
1/2 of members in a club/organization
plus 1
Objective 3:
Identify roles of the chairman and members
of an organization.
Anticipated Problem: How do we choose the President of
the United State of America? What is his role versus a
president of a FFA Chapter?
Terminology
Presiding Officer referred to as:
Mr./Madam President
Mr./Madam Chairperson
An Agenda
is a formal listing of the business that is to
be conducted at a meeting
The agenda must be approved by the
membership at the start of the meeting in
order to follow it
Whenever possible, an agenda should be
presented to membership well in advance of
the meeting for membership review
Other considerations
The taps of the gavel (symbol of leadership,
represents chair’s authority).
1 tap: be seated, announce vote.
2 taps: call to order
3 taps: all rise
Series of taps: restore order
Other considerations
Everyone gets the chance to voice their
opinion
Everyone gets the chance to Vote
Must take yes and no votes
Only one topic at a time can be discussed
Who ever makes a motion has the right to
discuss it first
The Role of Members
It is the responsibility of the membership of
any organization to establish and maintain
effective meeting structure
Every member has the right and
responsibility to participate in meetings and
the process of parliamentary procedure
Members must educate themselves
regarding the Constitution and By-Laws of
the group
REMEMBER – Strong group discussion
and interaction leads to strong decisions
made by the group
Voting on a Motion
Can be done by the following means:
Voice
Hand Raising/Standing/Visual
Secret Ballot
Roll call
Mechanical device
Types of votes
Simple majority: one more than half the
votes cast; 50% plus one
Two-thirds: must have two-thirds of the
total population represented to pass; 66.7%
of the vote
Objective 2:
Demonstrate a minimum of eight motions
following Robert’s Rules of Order.
Anticipated Problem: How can you improve the working
order of a meeting? Without rules can a meeting function
properly?
Classification of Motions
Privileged Motions (5) – do not relate to a pending
question, however are of such great importance that
they take precedence of all other questions (motions)
Incidental Motions (8) – arise from another question
that is pending and must be decided before the question
out of which they arise (are made as the result of
another motion)
Subsidiary Motions (7) – applied to other motions for
the purpose of appropriately disposing of them
Main Motion (1) – used to bring up a new subject or
idea to the group
Unclassified (3) – have a definite purpose but are not
classified as any other
Main Motions
Means of introducing business to a meeting.
Requires:
Second
Is debatable
Is amendable
Majority vote
Steps to handling a Main Motion
Stand
Ask to be recognized by President
President recognizes you by name
Motion is correctly stated
Motion is seconded
Motion is repeated by President
Motion is discussed
President restates motion
Motion is voted on
Results of vote announced by President
Anatomy of a Main Motion
Always starts with “I move…”
Debating a motion
Raise concerns about the motion.
Persuade others to vote one way or another.
Provide information about motion.
Amending a Motion
Allows for changes to a main motion to
appease both sides or improve the motion.
Seconding a motion
Seconding ensures the following:
Get on record as supporting motion.
Puts the motion to a vote.
Main Motions Continued
Main Motions that are not Legal
Break any Local, State or National Laws
Any motion that brings up a motion that has
already been failed
Items that are outside the power of the group
Negative motions
Political or religious Support
Main Motions Continued
The person who makes a motion can not
talk against it
Main motions can be reconsidered
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper Example: Mr. President, I move that
the chapter participate in crops judging this
year.
Privileged motions
Motions that fulfill individual needs or the
interest of the group individually.
Motions do not pertain directly to the
business being discussed.
Privileged Motions
Include the following:
Fix Time to Which to Adjourn
Adjourn
Recess
Raise a Question of Privilege
Call for Orders of the Day
Fix Time to Which to Adjourn
Set date and time to adjourn meeting
Requires:
Second
NON-Debatable
Amendable
Majority Vote
Adjourn
Privileged motion that ends current meeting
immediately.
Requires:
Second
Non-debatable
Non-amendable
Majority vote
Proper example
Mr. president, I move to adjourn.
Recess
Temporary break in a meeting.
Requires:
Second
Non-debatable
Amendable to time only
Majority vote
Proper example
Mr. President, I move to take a 5 minute recess.
Raise a question of Privilege
Secures comfort/convenience for members.
Requires:
Nothing. Question posed by member is decided
upon by the chair.
Subsidiary Motions
Motions that alter, change or dispose of
main motions.
Subsidiary Motions
Include the following:
Lay on the Table
Call for Previous Question
Postpone Definitely
Refer to a Committee
Amend
Postpone Indefinitely
Call for Previous Question
Ends debate immediately.
Requires:
Second
Non-debatable
Non-amendable
Two-thirds vote
Proper example:
Madam President, I move the previous question
Mr. President, I call for the previous question
Postpone Definitely
Purpose
allow for the motion on the floor to deferred to
a different day, meeting, or until after a certain
event
Requires:
Second
Debatable
Amendable
Majority vote
Proper example:
Madam President, I move to postpone this
motion until the December Regular Meeting.
Postpone Indefinitely
Purpose
To kill a main motion or delay a motion to a
certain time.
Requires a second
Not Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Can be reconsidered only if passed
Proper Example: Mr. President, I move to
Postpone this motion indefinitely
Refer to a Committee
Assign main motion to a committee.
used to send a pending question to a small
group so that the question may be carefully
investigated
Requires:
Second
Debatable
Amendable
Majority vote
Refer to a Committee
Two types of committees:
Standing Committee
one of the 15 listed in the Program of Activities
Special Committee/Ad Hoc
Appointed by the president
Number of members can be 3 or more
Refer to a Committee
Reasons for referring to a committee:
Gather more information
Act on a motion
President must specify when the committee
should report back to the chapter
Usually next regular meeting
Committee can be give full power to act
Proper example:
Mr. President, I move that we refer this motion
to the Leadership Committee
Mr. President, I move we refer this motion to a
committee of three appointed by the chair
Amend
Changes, modifies, or alters a main motion
by:
Striking out
Inserting
Striking out and inserting
Adding
Amend
No more than two amendments can be
considered at one time.
Requires:
Second
Debatable
Amendable
Majority Vote
Amendments continued
Can be reconsidered
Improper amendments
frivolous or absurd
leave an incoherent wording
Proper Example:
Motion on floor: That the FFA Chapter buy a boat.
Amendment: Mr. President, I move to amend the
motion by inserting speed in front of boat. So the
motion would read, I move that the FFA Chapter buy
a speed boat.
Amendment to an Amendment
Purpose
To modify an amendment to make it more specific
Requires a second
Debatable
Not amendable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt a speaker
Proper Example:
Madam President, I move to ament the amendment by
inserting Johnson in front of speed. So the final motion
with if all amendments pass would read, I move that the
FFA chapter buy a Johnson speed boat.
Postpone Indefinitely
Kills motion without a direct vote.
Requires:
Second
Debatable
NON-Amendable
Majority Vote
Incidental Motions
Motions that:
Correct ill-advised actions
Correct improper use of parliamentary
procedure.
Incidental Motions
Include the following:
Object to the
Consideration of
Question
Appeal from the
Decision of the Chair
Rise to a Point of
Order
Withdraw a Motion
Suspend the Rules
Call for Division of the
House
Rise to Parliamentary
Inquiry
Object to the Consideration of Question
Stops offensive or inappropriate measures.
Requires:
NO Second
Non-Debatable
Non-Amendable
Two-thirds Vote
Appeal from the Decision of the Chair
Allows members to overrule chair
Requires:
Second
Debatable only if motion being overruled was
debatable
NON-Amendable
Majority Vote
Rise to Parliamentary Inquiry
Check on parliamentary questions, or ask
how to carry out a parliamentary ability.
Requires:
Nothing. Question presented by member is
address by the chair.
Call for a Division of the House
Purpose
When called, this forces a immediate revote by hand
Requires countable vote, if voice vote was announced
incorrectly by chair.
Can only be called for after vote has been announced.
Requires:
Nothing. Addressed by chair upon being called.
Proper form
Can be made by saying “division” loud enough for the entire
group to hear
Or by standing and saying “I call for a division of the house”
Withdraw a Motion
Retracts motion proposed. Can only be
moved by member or proposed motion
being withdrawn.
Requires:
Nothing. If chair asks for objections and there
is none, withdraw stands. If there is an
objection, a majority vote is needed for
passage.
Suspend the Rules
Make exceptions to by-laws of
organization’s constitution.
Requires:
Second
Non-Debatable
Non-Amendable
Two-thirds Vote
Proper example:
Mr. President, Because of the lack of time
tonight, I move to suspend the rules and skip
directly to new business.
Unclassified Motions
Motions that do not fit other parliamentary
categories
Motions usually pertain to actions already
taken at previous meetings.
Unclassified Motions
Include the Following:
Reconsider
Rescind
Take from the Table
Reconsider
Purpose
to reevaluate a decision that was made earlier
Requires a second
Not amendable
Debatable
Majority vote
Only can be made by a person who voted on the
winning side
If passed the motion is handled immediately if:
only a main motion with amendments is on the
floor.
Reconsider Continued
Handled after the current business if:
discussion on refer to committee, or
postponement has started.
Motions that can be reconsidered
Main motions
Amendments
Refer to committee
Postpone definitely
Previous question
Appeal the decision of the chair
Reconsider Continued
Proper Example
Mr. President, I move to reconsider the motion
to buy a boat.
If passed, the motion to be reconsidered is
handled just as if it was never voted on
Rescind
Revoke or nullify previous action.
Requires:
Second
Debatable
Amendable
Two-thirds Vote
To lay on the table
Purpose
To defer action on the motion until later in the
meeting or until the next meeting
Requires a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper example:
Mr. President, I move to lay this motion on the
table
Take from the Table
Resume consideration of tabled motion.
Requires:
Second
Non-debatable
Non-amendable
Majority Vote
Proper Example
I move to take the motion that reads to buy a
boat from the table.
Limit or Extend Debate
Purpose
To limit or lengthen the time allowed for
discussion on a motion when it is clear that there
will be an excessive amount of discussion or when
the amount of time for the meeting is limited.
Requires a second
Debatable
Amendable
amount of time or number of speakers only
2/3 Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Limit / Extend Debate Continued
Maker of the motion must specify
the amount of time
the number of speakers that can debate the
motion
Proper Example
Madam President, I move that we limit debate
on this motion to 3 discussions for the motion
and 3 discussions against the motion.
Madam President, I move to limit debate to a
maximum of 5 minutes.
Point of Order
Used when a member thinks that the rules
of the group or the rules of parliamentary
procedure are being violated.
Does not require a second
Not amendable &Not debatable
President decides on verdict
Can interrupt another speaker
Point of Order
Proper example
Mr. President, I rise to a point of order.
President says, “State your point”
After member states point, president says “your
point is well taken” or “Your point is not well
taken”
Orders of the Day
This motion forces the group to return to
the set agenda, without finishing the
current business.
Does not require a second
Not Amendable
Not Debatable
2/3 vote against to fail
Can only be made on motions that are not on the set
agenda for that meeting.
Orders of the Day
Procedure
Mr. President, I call for the orders
of the day.
President should say, Orders of
the day has been called. All those
who wish to return to the orders
of the day, raise your hand. All
those opposed to returning to the
orders of the day, same sign.
Putting it All Together…
A common “agenda item” might look like this…
President: “Is there any new business…The chair recognizes
John.”
John: “M/M President, I move that we use Parliamentary Law
according to Robert’s Rules of Order at all of our
meetings.”
Sue: “I second that motion.”
President: “Is there any discussion?”
(blah, blah, blah)
President: “Seeing no further discussion, we will now proceed
to vote. All those in favor say “Aye”; all opposed
same sign. Motion passes.”
Final Thoughts…
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Do not get overwhelmed. Parliamentary Procedure takes
practice, practice, practice and patience, patience,
patience.
Make a conscious group decision that meetings will be
conducted according to Parliamentary Law and
those laws will be followed by every member.
Many parts of Parliamentary Procedure can be
“modified” to fit the needs of an individual
group.
Work together to educate your members on the rules
of Parliamentary Procedure to ensure effective
meetings.
REMEMBER – This is only a brief overview of how
Parliamentary Procedure works – keep learning!